HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-28-2001 Steering Committee MinutesI'
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DRAFT
MINUTES OF STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
Wednesday, February 28, 2001
A meeting of the Steering Committee of the Orange County Sanitation District was
held on Wednesday, February 28 , 2001 at 5 p.m., in the District's Administrative
Office.
(1) The roll was called and a quorum declared present, as follows:
STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Directors Present:
Norm Eckenrode, Chair
Peter Green, Vice Chair
Pat McGuigan, Chairman , OMTS Committee
Steve Anderson , PDC Committee
Shirley McCracken, Chairman, FAHR Committee
Jim Silva, County Supervisor
Gerald Sigler, Director, Guest
Directors Absent:
(2) APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR PRO TEM
No appointment was necessary.
(3) PUBLIC COMMENTS
OTHERS PRESENT:
Thomas L. Woodruff, General Counsel
Don Hughes
Tom Dawes
Ryal Wheeler
Director Peer Swan
STAFF PRESENT:
Blake Anderson, General Manager
Bob Ghirelli, Director of Technical Services
David Ludwin, Director of Engineering
Greg Mathews, Assistant to the General
Manager
Lisa Lawson, Communications Manager
Jean Tappan, Committee Secretary
Jim Herberg, Engineering Supervisor
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There were no comments by any member of the public.
(4) RECEIVE, FILE AND APPROVE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The minutes of the January 24, 2001 Steering Committee meeting were approved as drafted.
' Minutes of the Steering Committee
Page 2
February 28, 2001
(5) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR
Committee Chair Norm Eckenrode announced the CASA Spring conference at the Tenaya Lodge in
Yosemite May 3-5.
Director Gerald Sigler was the Chair's guest at the meeting .
Chair Eckenrode mentioned that he had invited Mrs. Joan Irvine Smith, who has expressed an
interest in the GWRS project, to attend the March 28 Joint Boards meeting .
At a prior meeting the idea of forming a consortium to consider ways for improving the San Gabriel
River water quality and in turn the water quality at Seal Beach was presented. After checking
around, it turns out that there a group has been formed to discuss these issues. Chair Eckenrode
talked with Don Mcintyre about including a Sanitation District representative. Staff will maintain
contact with Mr. Mcintyre and county staff on these issues.
(6) REPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER
General Manager Blake Anderson reported on the following issues:
A. SARI Line Relocation Project Update
Yorba Linda residents were briefed on the project and the need for easements for
the first time last week. This has become more controversial than anticipated.
Lisa Lawson addressed some of the concerns expressed by the homeowners at
the February 21 meeting. A follow-up letter was sent to the attendees the day
after the meeting providing additional information and addressing their concerns.
Because of the resistance, Dave Ludwin recommended that the agenda item on
the easement appraisal procedure for acquisition of easements for SARI line
relocation be pulled from the agenda to allow for additional consultation with the
PDC Committee and the homeowners.
General Counsel Tom Woodruff indicated that the condensed appraisal
procedure that is proposed is allowed by law. Full appraisals would be very time
consuming and expenses for underground easements that are estimated in value
at about $1000 each. There are existing utility easements through the properties
and the District's easement would be within the city's easement.
Director Steve Anderson suggested placing survey staking along the alignment to
assist the homeowners in identifying the exact location.
B. GWRS Update
Tom Dawes updated the Directors on the status of the project. There is a Joint
Coordinating Committee (JCC) meeting on March 1 to discuss the results of the
financial study. The Groundwater Producers have asked for clarification on
several issues. The JCC will be recommending that the day-to-day management
of the project be done by the JCC with delegation of powers to the Orange
County Water District's (OCWD) Board. Two of the three directors from each
Minutes of the Steering Committee
Page 3
February 28, 2001
agency would have to agree and the money for the item would have to be in the
budget before it could be submitted to the OCWD's Board. Also, advance
notification would be provided to the Sanitation District Board prior to action
taking place.
Mr. Dawes reported that project implementation involves decisions on how to
design, build and start the project. The consulting contract with COM will be
continued for final design. Should the Boards decide to approve the project on
March 28·, there are approximately another 12 smaller contracts that will be
required to complete design. A separate third -party contract will be required for
construction management.
The fifth and final workshop will be held on Saturday, March 3 before the go/no-
go decision on March 28. An overview of the project will be presented as well as
updates on the financial study, governance and project implementation.
Director Peer Swan stated that there has only been two days to review the
information submitted to the Groundwater Producers in response to their
questions. He expressed concern about the process for approving change
orders in amounts over existing delegations of authority. He stated that the COM
contract for final design was a non-competitive award that went against the
originally approved process of having the design competitively bid.
Mr. Anderson responded that the JCC has asked staff to provide a number of
alternatives for setting limits on change orders and that the Sanitation District's
own delegation of authority procedure will be one alternative proposed.
Mr. Dawes explained the actions over the last six to eight months during
preliminary design . He also stated that there were no restrictions to not allow an
extension of the COM contract for final design. Mr. Anderson said that the JCC
discussed the issues extensively and agreed with this action.
Director Pat McGuigan questioned the amount of time the JCC would be the
governing entity. Mr. Dawes said that the JCC would continue overseeing the
project with the existing set of rules in the interim until the final rules are approved
by both Boards, and would continue governing under the final rules. A full board
of directors is required for approvals and the JCC will be recommending that this
authority be delegated to OCWD as they meet twice a month. Additional
recommendations will be presented to the JCC and the Boards on how change
orders would be handled before finalizing the final rules .
C. Huntington Beach Activities Update
Bob Ghirelli updated the committee on the County's Watershed Management
Program. A core workgroup has been formed to work with the action plan that
follows up on the Phase 1 reports. Twenty different areas will be reviewed. The
County is trying to obtain Proposition 13 funding.
Minutes of the Steering Committee
Page 4
February 28, 2001
OCSD's Summer Monitoring Program is being designed by a technical advisory
committee in a series of meetings. Agreement has been reached on the study
design and the details are being finalized. Cost for the monitoring program and
the study will be about $1 million. Staff is also looking at applying for
Proposition 13 funding for these efforts. The Directors questioned whether the
USC Sea Grant report will duplicate our efforts. Staff has only just become aware
of this project and will be contacting USC for more information.
AES, the operators of the power plant across from Huntington Beach, have
applied for a fast-track permit to double their capacity. In the hearings the issue
of beach contamination was raised. AES has agreed to work with the District
during the monitoring period to help duplicate conditions, as well as our assisting
with ocean testing when they operate at full capacity. AES is preparing a white
paper on their testing and will be doing modeling on their outfall area.
The county will be testing the Talbert Marsh and the Santa Ana River parallel with
our studies.
A technical advisory team has been formed and separate meetings are being
held to discuss nine topics of concern. The media has shown no interest in this
process.
Jim Herberg reported that a study has been included in next year's budget to
consider pathogen reduction.
D. Seattle Earthquake
Blake Anderson reported that staff contacted Seattle Metro to see how their
facilities fared during today's 6.8 magnitude earthquake. Their Emergency
Response Center, which is similar to the District's, was activated and it went
surprisingly smooth. No major damage was reported.
E. Storm Flows
Mr. Anderson reported that during the recent rains, the peak was about 1 00 mgd
greater than usual. There were no problems.
F. Dairy Dewatering Ponds
Today, the first of several dairies ponds was connected to the SARI to allow
dewatering the ponds before rain events. This is a 'first' in the country and will
help to control dairy pondwater from entering the stormwater systems.
(7) REPORT OF GENERAL COUNSEL
General Counsel Tom Woodruff reported that the dry weather discharge agreement between The
Irvine Company, IRWD and OCSD for the Crystal Cove area has been finalized and a letter sent to
the Coastal Commission.
Minutes of the Steering Committee
Page 5
February 28, 2001
Mr. Woodruff also discussed a memo in the Directors' folders regarding legal representation on a
claim for reimbursement for expenses involved in moving a sewer in Ball Road at the request of the
City of Anaheim to accommodate their storm drain.
There is a meeting scheduled Thursday, March 1, to discuss the Crow-Winthrop claim.
(8) DISCUSSION ITEMS {Items A-F)
A. Local Sewer Service Agreement between IRWD and OCSD for Irvine Business
Complex Area and Tustin Marine Corps Redevelopment Area.
Jim Herberg explained the proposed terms of the agreement to the Directors.
These areas are currently within Revenue Area 7 and the agreement will move
them to Revenue Area 14, thereby allowing IRWD to take over the local sewer
service. The Directors authorized negotiations.
B. Streamlining Concepts: Can we reduce the paper work between staff and board
committees.
Greg Mathews and Blake Anderson discussed several examples of ways to
reduce time and paperwork for both the staff and the Directors. It was decided
that the financial report could be presented quarterly. Additional changes will be
presented to the committee for review at a later meeting.
C. Consider 4 p.m. start time for March 28 Steering Committee.
Because of the early start for the March 28 Joint Boards meeting with OCWD, the
Steering Committee will meet at 4 p.m . that day.
D. Resolve July Committee meeting date calendars.
The July 4 holiday impacts the OMTS and PDC Committees meeting dates and
the Directors agreed not to meet in July. There will be meetings in August, which
is usually dark. A determination to hold the FAHR Committee meeting in July was
not finalized.
E. Summer Program for Disadvantaged Youth.
Blake Anderson introduced an idea that was presented by one of our employees
on employing disadvantaged youths in our summer program. He outlined some
of the questions that need to be answered as well as some of the conditions for
employment, but asked the Directors for direction. Supervisor Silva said he
would hope that OCSD could be used as a model for developing a program that
could be used throughout County government. The Directors gave their support,
and felt that it would be a very worthwhile, and much-needed, program.
F. Review Agenda Items scheduled to be presented to Committees in March.
These items were reviewed.
(9) OTHER BUSINESS, COMMUNICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS, IF ANY
Director Steve Anderson asked about removing the PDC Committee's GWRS project item from the
Board agenda. It was decided that it could be pulled as no action was required by the Board at this
time .
Minutes of the Steering Committee
Page 6
February 28, 2001
(10) MATTERS WHICH A DIRECTOR WOULD LIKE STAFF TO REPORT ON AT A
SUBSEQUENT MEETING
There were none.
(11) MATTERS WHICH A DIRECTOR MAY WISH TO PLACE ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR
ACTION AND/OR STAFF REPORT
There were none.
(12) CONSIDERATION OF UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 28, 2001 at 4 p.m.
The next Board Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 28, 2001 at 6:30 p.m. This will be a
joint meeting with the Orange County Water District Board to consider proceeding with the
Groundwater Replenishment System project.
(13) CLOSED SESSION
There was no closed session .
(14) ADJOURNMENT
The Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 6:48 p.m.
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